Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise - thoughts & experiences

[Orator]

On Celebrity Silhouette TA mow

 and will be on Viking Neptune in December. Experienced some rough seas at start, but clam now. Internet is spotty, but this is a wonderful cruise.

[photopro2]

On 10/29/2022 at 3:41 PM, Hobson1754 said:

However, my husband’s not keen on the flight.  We’d have to fly to London, then Miami & on to San Juan.

I certainly agree with him and I wouldn't recommend that you made that journey in one go.

 

As you probably know international passengers transferring onto US domestic flights have to collect checked baggage from the carousel and take them through customs before re-checking them. This, along with the immigration procedure, makes for a lengthy process and usually results in either an unsettling dash through the airport if the connection time is short or a sometimes lengthy wait at the airport for a later connection. Neither of these is ideal after a transatlantic flight.

 

Our solution (as we have to collect the checked bags and go through immigration anyway) is to book a hotel room at our arrival airport in the US. That way we can go through the arrival procedures without any time pressure, get a good nights sleep in a proper bed, then continue with the domestic flight the following morning.

 

Viking arranged our flights so we could do this on the TA we made from San Juan a few years ago and they have done the same for our Caribbean cruise with them early next year.

 

We land in Miami and spend that night at the airport at our own cost. We then fly to San Juan the next morning arriving around midday. We know from the last time that we will get there rested and ready to enjoy the ship straight away. In contrast fellow Brits who have made the trip in one go will arrive at the ship late the same evening and I expect totally frazzled from the journey.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed both San Juan and the TA that followed. It is a very walkable and historic city with a Caribbean twist.

 

I hope that you can get your wish to visit someday and maybe this post will help persuade your husband that it is certainly possible to make the journey in a reasonably comfortable way.

 

 

[Hobson1754]

20 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

I certainly agree with him and I wouldn't recommend that you made that journey in one go.

 

As you probably know international passengers transferring onto US domestic flights have to collect checked baggage from the carousel and take them through customs before re-checking them. This, along with the immigration procedure, makes for a lengthy process and usually results in either an unsettling dash through the airport if the connection time is short or a sometimes lengthy wait at the airport for a later connection. Neither of these is ideal after a transatlantic flight.

 

Our solution (as we have to collect the checked bags and go through immigration anyway) is to book a hotel room at our arrival airport in the US. That way we can go through the arrival procedures without any time pressure, get a good nights sleep in a proper bed, then continue with the domestic flight the following morning.

 

Viking arranged our flights so we could do this on the TA we made from San Juan a few years ago and they have done the same for our Caribbean cruise with them early next year.

 

We land in Miami and spend that night at the airport at our own cost. We then fly to San Juan the next morning arriving around midday. We know from the last time that we will get there rested and ready to enjoy the ship straight away. In contrast fellow Brits who have made the trip in one go will arrive at the ship late the same evening and I expect totally frazzled from the journey.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed both San Juan and the TA that followed. It is a very walkable and historic city with a Caribbean twist.

 

I hope that you can get your wish to visit someday and maybe this post will help persuade your husband that it is certainly possible to make the journey in a reasonably comfortable way.

 

 

Thank you photopro2 for this. Yes I think your suggestion is the best bet.  It’s all undecided at present and we’re weighing up the whole idea of a TA cruise.  Whilst my husband enjoys the ship when it’s rolling a little, I’m not always 100% if it’s really bad.

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

Trans-Atlantic crossings are highly recommended for anyone who loves the nautical life. With Viking cruises being mostly port heavy, a TA is the perfect way to experience a Viking ship as the destination. The daily routine & social life are a refreshing change from the port-y go, go, go. It's the ultimate in blissful relaxation. I prefer to do air on my own & arrive at my embarkation city two nights before to finish off the jett lag & be comfortable the day I board. Thankfully I get to repeat this in December aboard Viking Neptune. 

[Twitchly]

7 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

Trans-Atlantic crossings are highly recommended for anyone who loves the nautical life. With Viking cruises being mostly port heavy, a TA is the perfect way to experience a Viking ship as the destination. The daily routine & social life are a refreshing change from the port-y go, go, go. It's the ultimate in blissful relaxation. I prefer to do air on my own & arrive at my embarkation city two nights before to finish off the jett lag & be comfortable the day I board. Thankfully I get to repeat this in December aboard Viking Neptune. 

I think I would love it. My husband, not so much. 

[Hobson1754]

Thanks to everyone who has replied to and given their experiences re this post.  We have decided to forego the Transatlantic cruise, partly because of the prohibitive travel insurance quotes we received for travelling to US & Caribbean at my husband’s age (he will be 79 then)! We have therefore decided and, I’ve just booked ‘Mediterranean & Italian Sojourn’ instead.  Not quite the same weather at that time of year but sure we’ll have another great cruise.